White regrets having Leben-Brunson open UFC 155's main card

LAS VEGAS – MMA fans love to decide where fights should be slotted on cards. Sometimes, they might be right. Dana White said he regrets having Chris Leben and Derek Brunson open UFC 155's main card on pay-per-view.

This is just a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation. Put that fight on the FX prelims, and theoretically more casuals would see that fight, potentially turning them off to the sport, and increasing a reluctance to buy the PPV's. Put it on PPV and the hardcore's are upset in having to pay for it. They should have just buried this fight on Facebook, put Duffee-De Fries on FX and bumped up Wineland-Pickett.

Maybe DW just needs to stop bringing in fighters coming off of losses, I don't know... or maybe if the sport went strictly to free TV like NFL, NBA, MLB etc, Dana could just say "Suck it, free card". I'm hoping for both.

tcunningham

12/30/12 12:50:17PM

Posted by pmoney

This is just a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation. Put that fight on the FX prelims, and theoretically more casuals would see that fight, potentially turning them off to the sport, and increasing a reluctance to buy the PPV's. Put it on PPV and the hardcore's are upset in having to pay for it. They should have just buried this fight on Facebook, put Duffee-De Fries on FX and bumped up Wineland-Pickett.

Maybe DW just needs to stop bringing in fighters coming off of losses, I don't know... or maybe if the sport went strictly to free TV like NFL, NBA, MLB etc, Dana could just say "Suck it, free card". I'm hoping for both.

i was worried about this fight being boring as soon as i found out brunson was lebans opponent, his standup is terrible so i knew he would avoid it by wrestling the shit out of leban. plus, knowing leban was coming off the big layoff there was a much bigger chance of gasing. nobody won in that fight, especially not the fans.

airkerma

12/30/12 12:51:42PM

It probably should have been wineland vs pickett, as everyone knew it would be awesome, but that was also their fx prime fight that would draw people into buying the ppv. Then again, I guess I don't care, you already purchased the ppv if you're watching the first fight so what does it really matter if it doesn't deliver? Its not like people can ask for a refund at that point.

Bloodhound

12/30/12 1:19:13PM

The UFC has been doing a poor job lately of ordering the fight cards lately...they bury some decent fights on the Facebook prelims then fill the fx/fuel prelim or ppv portion with just awful fights

Twenty20Dollars

12/30/12 1:23:17PM

I was going to question this decision, but I didn't order the ppv so having Guillard/Varner and Pickett/Wineland on the FX prelims was fine. But, I wouldn't have it lined up like that if I was him.

shaneTpain

12/30/12 3:44:25PM

I regret betting my buddy that Leban would win

aussiemma

12/30/12 3:49:47PM

Posted by Bloodhound

The UFC has been doing a poor job lately of ordering the fight cards lately...they bury some decent fights on the Facebook prelims then fill the fx/fuel prelim or ppv portion with just awful fights

i kind of agree, but i think it is very hard to tell what is going to be a good fight or a boring fight..

prophecy033

12/30/12 4:52:34PM

It was almost as bad as having Leben and Bisping Headline UFC 89

Bubbles

12/30/12 6:59:26PM

Varner/Guillard should have opened the PPV and Leben/Brunson on prelims.

But it doesn't really matter, it was maybe the worst fight of the 12 and most people figured it was going to be Leben by TKO. Fights don't happen on paper and if that was the worst fight of the night, so be it. You will never have 12 barnburners in one event

bootyclause

12/30/12 8:28:24PM

I liked that fight, I don't know why. Any time a fight features a "cross org" matchup it's intriguing. Brunson beating a top 30ish UFC guy is an interesting turn of events. I'm psyched to see a good 25-30 Strikeforce guys take a crack at the UFC.

Also, the level of notoriety of Leben makes the fight more exciting. That's a factor that people won't admit but is true. Really famous fighters can have interesting slow fights just because the outcome carries more weight. You care more.

prozacnation1978

12/30/12 10:50:26PM

I don't get leban. I don't. The guy looks good against guys like Silva akiyama and Simpson

But against guys he should have put away like Brunson and Jake rosholt he loses. I believe this is the 4th time i have seen leban fight live and he is 0-4.

I was shocked that Pickett vs wineland got passed over.

Was hoping varner vs guillard would have taken leban vs Brunson fight on ppv

I doubt we see leban again on a ppv in a long time

Tyzzler

12/31/12 12:04:06AM

Posted by aussiemma

Posted by Bloodhound

The UFC has been doing a poor job lately of ordering the fight cards lately...they bury some decent fights on the Facebook prelims then fill the fx/fuel prelim or ppv portion with just awful fights

i kind of agree, but i think it is very hard to tell what is going to be a good fight or a boring fight..

OF COURSE hindsight's always going to be 20/20..I love all the flamers saying how they knew this fight was going to suck and should've been on FB prelims. BUT, as I recall, the main Sherdog preview, Bleacher Report, AND Bloody Elbow ALL projected this fight as "KO of the Night" in Leben's favor. I agree with Bloodhound, it is very hard to project what's going to be an exciting fight, but evidently people find it amazingly easy to tell anyone who will listen how they "knew the fight was going to be sh*t beforehand" after the fight already happens.

C'mon guys, how are we, as proper mma fans, supposed to stick up for the sport when we're all dogging the fights/decisions even more that the casual fans we're so-called "looking out for"?

<<<<<EDIT>>>>>

AND I TOTALLY agree with placing the Duffee fight where it was, everyone knew it was going to be a crazy KO, why not let those that are the most casual of MMA fans see it for free as a representation of why they should pay money for PPVs in the future?

Bubbles

12/31/12 12:56:59AM

Posted by prozacnation1978But against guys he should have put away like Brunson and Jake rosholt he loses. I believe this is the 4th time i have seen leban fight live and he is 0-4.

thanks for letting us know this AFTER the event

Coolhand37

12/31/12 10:27:39AM

Honestly Leben and Brunson fought hard, it ws a rough fight. they fought hard. It's a shame that a guy that can't fight his way out of a paper bag is in charge of the best fighters in the world.